FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT MICHAEL ROSS - PAGE 4

Franklin and Fulton counties saw improvements to their unemployment rates in March, according to the latest data from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. Franklin County's seasonally adjusted rate dropped three-tenths of a percentage point to 8.8 percent in March. Fulton County's rate dropped from 13.5 percent in February to 12.6 percent in March. Pennsylvania's unemployment rate was 9 percent in March, while the national rate remained at 9.7 percent. Analysis from the labor department stated Franklin County's rate was up 5.3 percentage points from when the recession started in December 2007.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Franklin County, Pa., dropped 0.2 percent in January to 6.5 percent, according to the latest data from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. The rate in neighboring Fulton County, Pa., held steady at 8.9 percent, a dramatic decrease from its high points during the recession. Fulton County reached 16 percent unemployment in February 2009. Labor department data indicates Franklin County gained 100 nonagricultural jobs in January, reaching 57,100 nonfarm jobs in the civilian work force.

GREENCASTLE, Pa. -- Two Franklin County businesses and a former county commissioner received special honors Thursday at the Franklin County Area Development Corp. (FCADC) 24th annual Industry Appreciation Dinner at Green Grove Gardens in Greencastle. Whitetail Resort of Mercersburg, Pa., was named Small Business of the Year, which honors businesses that employ less than 100 people; and Target Regional Distribution Center of Marion, Pa., was named Large Business of the Year, which honors businesses with more than 100 employees.

GREENCASTLE, Pa. - A $250 million business park envisioned on the west side of Interstate 81 at Exit 3 is moving closer to becoming a reality. The Antrim Township (Pa.) Supervisors on Tuesday gave their blessing to the concept following a presentation by Perini Industrial Land LLC. The business park remains in the early stages of development a decade after being first discussed, but the developer is looking to contact all the state and local agencies involved and soon be able to submit full land development plans.

waynesboro@herald-mail.com WAYNESBORO, Pa. - The jobs of nearly 250 employees at a Tyco International plant in Waynesboro are not in jeopardy following an announcement last week that the company was closing 24 manufacturing plants at a cost of 7,100 jobs, a company spokeswoman said Tuesday. Maryanne Kane, chief communications officer at Tyco's U.S. headquarters in Exeter, N.H., said Tuesday that none of the 24 plants the company plans to close is in Pennsylvania. Asked how many plants Tyco has in Pennsylvania, Kane said, "dozens.

GREENCASTLE, Pa. -- Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell will visit Franklin County today for the announcement of a new intermodal rail facility in Antrim Township. Norfolk Southern is hosting a press conference to unveil its plans for the facility at the Mason-Dixon Auto Auction on U.S. 11 near Interstate 81. The 11:30 a.m. event will feature Rendell and Norfolk Southern CEO Wick Moorman, according to a press released issued by the rail company. Rendell actively has sought funding for railroads in the state.

WAYNESBORO, PA. -- Although Tyco Electronics announced this week that it will lay off 2,500 employees worldwide, corporate officials would not discuss what - if any - impact will be felt at the Waynesboro plant. The local plant, which employs 230 people, differs from others operated by Tyco Electronics in that it makes the tools later used elsewhere to wire components of computers, appliances, handheld devices and flat-screen televisions. "This has been a productive facility for them," said L. Michael Ross, president of the Franklin County (Pa.)

CAMP HILL, Pa. (AP) - An investment firm headed by former U.S. Defense Secretary Frank Carlucci has agreed to buy military vehicle maker United Defense L.P. for $850 million. The deal, announced Tuesday, would put the joint venture of FMC Corp. and Harsco Corp. in the hands of Carlyle Group, which is based in Washington, D.C., and has other holdings in the defense industry. United Defense was formed in 1994 by FMC, a Chicago-based manufacturer of heavy machinery, and Harsco, an industrial services and products company headquartered near Harrisburg, Pa. A production division of United Defense is located at Letterkenny Army Depot in Chambersburg, Pa., where Paladin howitzers, cannon-type weapons used to fire projectiles at relatively high angles, are manufactured.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - The weekend rain left it too muddy for a groundbreaking for the latest utility trailer manufacturer in Franklin County. Tilman Dump Trailers LLC has been operating out of leased space at Cumberland Valley Business Park since late 2006, said Franklin County Area Development Corp. President L. Michael Ross. The FCADC is building a 35,100-square-foot facility on 6.4 acres in the business park for Tilman to occupy and have fully operational by Jan. 1, 2009. The cost to FCADC of buying the land on Opportunity Avenue and constructing the building is $2.4 million, Ross said.

World Kitchen lays off 63 employees By STACEY DANZUSO / Staff Writer, Chambersburg World Kitchen Inc. has announced it is laying off 63 employees, the latest in a string of Franklin County businesses to scale back their work forces. Most of the hourly employees volunteered for the layoffs, said Dave Lanzillo, director of corporate communications at World Kitchen's New York headquarters. He said he doesn't expect the layoffs to be permanent. "This is part of our normal business operations and the business cycle," he said.